Rattlesnake Creek Project Saves Kansas Refuge Water
Published Date: 5/1/2026
Notice
Summary
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is moving forward with a plan to build new wells and reduce water use in Stafford County, Kansas. This will help protect the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge while keeping farming strong in the area. The project starts soon and involves retiring some water rights to make sure there’s enough water for everyone.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
2,500 Acre-Feet of Water Rights Retired
NRCS will retire 2,500 acre-feet of water rights in the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed in Stafford County, Kansas. This retirement removes those water rights from use as part of the selected plan.
Augmentation Wellfield and Adaptive Management
NRCS selected construction of an augmentation wellfield and an adaptive management strategy in the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed in Stafford County, Kansas to improve water availability for the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge while supporting long-term agricultural water management. The selected alternative is titled the "Augmentation Wellfield and Groundwater Use Reduction Alternative."
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Key Dates
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